Summer of Lager update

I'm delighted with my choice of Lager as a summer theme. It wasn't something I'd ever looked at in any great detail. I've already learnt so much.

Of course, I understood the concept of decoction mashing, but I hadn't realised how many variations there were. I've still only looked in three books and I'm already up to around a dozen methods. Should be perfect for driving people away at parties. "Don't you find decoction mashing fascinating. I certainly do. I read about this great single decoction method the other day . . . Where are you going? I've only just started."

There's so much to discover. I haven't really got past mashing yet. There's boiling, fermentation and lagering to come. Perhaps I should have called it Year of Lager.

I'm kicking myself for not having started before my last trip to Franconia. There are so many questions I would ask the brewers now. Mostly about their mashing schema. I wonder how many do a Dickmaische? Given the great variation in ingredients and fermentation methods, I would guess that their mashing systems are equally diverse.

Andy at BeerMania! has been trying to persuade me to go back to Franconia in July. Unfortunately, the kids are on holiday then. No chance of Dolores releasing me. Providing him with a list of prepared questions might be an idea.

"Gebrauchen Sie eine Dekoktionsverfahren?"

"Eine Einzel-, Doppel- oder Dreimaischverfahren?"

"Auf welche Temperatur maischen Sie ein?"

"Welche Rasten machen sie und für wie lange? Eine Eiweissrast? Eine Verzuckerungsrast?"

"Was ist die Temperatur der Gesamtmaische nach dem erste Kochen?"

"Was ist die Temperatur der Gesamtmaische nach dem zweite Kochen?"

"Was ist die Temperatur der Gesamtmaische nach dem dritte Kochen?"

"Für wie lange kochen Sie die Maische?"

"Kochen Sie die Dickmaische oder die Dünnmaische?"

"Was is die abmaisch Temperatur?"

I think that covers the most important points. If any of you happen to be in a German brewery in the near future, feel free to ask these questions for me. I've honestly no idea how they do these things nowadays.